ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND VULNERABLE FARMER Empowerment

THE CHALLENGE

IN AFRICA THERE ARE MANY OBSTACLES TO EARNING A LIVEABLE INCOME – ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS, WHERE THERE ARE FEW JOB OPPORTUNITIES. 80% OF THE POPULATION DEPENDS ON FARMING FOR THEIR LIVELYHOOD.

MANY WELL-MEANT EFFORTS TO START AN AGRIBUSINESS FAIL DUE TO LACK OF CAPITAL AND BASIC BUSINESS SKILLS. FARMERS GROUPS, ALTHOUGH THEY MIGHT BE ENTHUSIASITIC IN THE BEGINNING, USUALLY ALSO AREN’T COHERENT ENOUGH TO SUCCEED.

OUR APPROACH

ONCE OUR FARMERS HAVE OVERCOME THEIR PERSISTENT LOW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND FOOD INSECURITY, WE SUPPORT THEM IN PROGRESSING TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN ORDER TO GET ACCESS TO CASH TO MEET OTHER FAMILY NEEDS SUCH AS HEALTH, EDUCATION, CLOTHING, HOUSING AND ENTERTAINMENT.

WE ENCOURAGE AND MOTIVATE THOSE FARMERS GROUPS WITH WHOM WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR SOME TIME AND WHO HAVE SHOWN CERTAIN CAPACITIES TO ENGAGE IN INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES.

BUILDING ON THEIR ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN AGRICULTURE, WE ASSIST THEM IN SETTING UP AGRIBUSINESSES SUCH AS CROP PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION OF HIGH-QUALITY SEEDS, ADDING VALUE TO VARIOUS CROPS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY (DAIRY GOATS, POULTRY, ETC.).

WE THEN PROVIDE FARMERS WITH

BUSINESS SKILLS

LINKEAGES TO INSTITUTIONS AND COUNTY MINISTRIES

ADVOCACY

ACCESS TO MARKET

AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, INTEREST-FREE MICRO CREDIT

WE ASSIST GROUPS BY KEEPING IN CLOSE CONTACT TO PROVIDE FURTHER ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

We also support schools in setting up agribusinesses to enable them to assist poor parents with school fees/expenses.

EXAMPLES OF SMALL FARMERS GROUP ENTERPRISES SUPPORTED INCLUDE:

ESTABLISHMENT OF A SOYA COOPERATIVE

A SOYA PROCESSING PLANT/Cottage Industry

FARMERS TRAINED IN PRODUCTION OF MARKETABLE SOYA PRODUCTS

SOYA BEAN PRODUCTION

HIGH QUALITY SOYA SEED PRODUCTION

TOMATO PRODUCTION

POULTRY REARING

RABBIT BREEDING

DAIRY GOAT BREEDING

SOLAR DRYING OF VARIOUS VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

PRODUCTION OF HIGH-QUALITY SEEDS

PASSION FRUIT PRODUCTION

HARDENING OF TISSUE-CULTURED BANANAS

ALV (AFRICAN LEAFY VEGETABLE) PRODUCTION

Our experience has taught us that success is only guaranteed when we work with farmers whom we have known for some time and who have already shown a very strong commitment. We have also realized that only teaching managerial skills to smallholders but not providing them with seed money doesn’t work.

We are proud of giving interest-free micro credit facilities to our farmers.

SUPPORT FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS – giving a helping hand out of extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition

THE CHALLENGE

Amongst our farmers groups we have members who live in extreme poverty. They own too little land to sustain themselves and their families through farming, and have to do menial, badly-paid work such as fetching water, breaking agricultural land with hoes for other people or crushing stones. Some of them take care of HIV orphans, others include orphaned children living on their own, large families, grandparents who take care of grandchildren and farmers who lack basic needs like proper housing, etc.

OUR APPROACH

Although we are totally against handouts, we feel that some very disadvantaged people need and deserve a helping hand, and that we simply cannot turn a blind eye on them. Every year a group of 30 very vulnerable farmers are identified by their farmer groups.

We assist these hardworking, disadvantaged farmers with technical advice and input to engage them in productive farming for household consumption and sale of surplus. Input provided includes

LAND LEASE OF 1 ACRE OF LAND FOR 2 YEARS (4 CROPPING SEASONS)

ORGANIC FERTILIZER

SEEDS

THIS APPROACH HAS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FOR THE BENEFICIARIES AFTER JUST ONE YEAR. ONE FARMER, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS ABLE TO SEND HER DAUGHTER TO SECONDARY SCHOOL, OTHERS TO PAY FOR SCHOOL EXPENSES, WHILE ANOTHER COULD REPAIR A HOUSE WHICH WAS IN A DESOLATE CONDITION. ALL OF THEM INDICATED THAT THEY WERE LEADING A MORE DIGNIFIED LIFE WITHOUT HAVING TO BEG NEIGHBORS OR HAVING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS GO TO BED ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.

SOME OF THE FARMERS WERE EVEN ABLE TO LEASE LAND THEMSELVES FOR PLANTING AFTER JUST TWO HARVESTS.

One farmer told the founder: “I am now a rich and happy man. I can feed my family and can make money from surplus of crops.”

"HELPING FARMING FAMILIES INCREASE PRODUCTION IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY, AND SELL MORE CROPS, IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE HUNGER AND POVERTY OVER THE LONG TERM"